i'm kind of new to being a diabetic and i take a couple of types of pills to control it. My question is though if i go on insulin is there any chance of it shortening my lifespan, or any life threating illness i could get from using it. I.E. liver failure or kidney failure. i would love to hear any feedback that anyone may have on the subject thank you all for your time

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31 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:insulin drawbacksi'm kind of new to being a diabetic and i take a couple of types of pills to control it. My question is though if i go on insulin is there any chance of it shortening my lifespan, or any life threating illness i could get from using it. I.E. liver failure or kidney failure. i would love to hear any feedback that anyone may have on the subject thank you all for your time

I'm not to sure about insulin, because I just started metformin couple days ago, but there's a lot of people who takes insulin would give you a lot of advice, there's a lot of good people that are more knowledge than me but I can try to help, I've been diagnosed in 2008 we type II diabetes at the beginning of my stage I was only a prediabetic meaning I wasn't taking anything it with diet and exercise. But over the years my weight escalated and now I take diabetes meds, it's working pretty good for me I'm eating better and my numbers been leveled, what I understand that's a good thing before was all over the place.

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Report This| Share this:insulin drawbacksI'm not to sure about insulin, because I just started metformin couple days ago, but there's a lot of people who takes insulin would give you a lot of advice, there's a lot of good people that are more knowledge than me but I can try to help, I've been diagnosed in 2008 we type II diabetes at the beginning of my stage I was only a prediabetic meaning I wasn't taking anything it with diet and exercise. But over the years my weight escalated and now I take diabetes meds, it's working pretty good for me I'm eating better and my numbers been leveled, what I understand that's a good thing before was all over the place.

I've been on insulin since 2001 and for me it has been much better then pills which all have nasty side effects. A healthy body makes insulin so it isn't really an unnatural substance. The only fairly common risk i know of is low blood sugar which can be dangerous. There are some other things like infections from injections or allergic reactions but i think these are rare. I reuse my needles to save money and i've never had an infection.

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Report This| Share this:insulin drawbacksI've been on insulin since 2001 and for me it has been much better then pills which all have nasty side effects. A healthy body makes insulin so it isn't really an unnatural substance. The only fairly common risk i know of is low blood sugar which can be dangerous. There are some other things like infections from injections or allergic reactions but i think these are rare. I reuse my needles to save money and i've never had an infection.

I am doing quite well on insulin and much prefer it. I tried the pills because my PA back then insisted on pills... He was not much of anything in the medical dept though. After about 18 months of being very sick on the pills and my sugars going up around 400, I found a different doctor who agreed that I needed insulin instead. I did way better on insulin than I ever did on the pills, and zero side affects. My sugars are under control, and my complications are much improved. I highly recommend insulin to any diabetic. The diabetic pills are drugs that mess with your liver to control your blood sugar. Insulin is what your body normally makes to deal with blood sugar, and a lack of it, or it not working well is why you become diabetic in the first place.

I think insulin would give you a LONGER lifespan than the pills would, and a healthier outcome also.

Hooty

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Report This| Share this:insulin drawbacksI am doing quite well on insulin and much prefer it. I tried the pills because my PA back then insisted on pills... He was not much of anything in the medical dept though. After about 18 months of being very sick on the pills and my sugars going up around 400, I found a different doctor who agreed that I needed insulin instead. I did way better on insulin than I ever did on the pills, and zero side affects. My sugars are under control, and my complications are much improved. I highly recommend insulin to any diabetic. The diabetic pills are drugs that mess with your liver to control your blood sugar. Insulin is what your body normally makes to deal with blood sugar, and a lack of it, or it not working well is why you become diabetic in the first place.

I think insulin would give you a LONGER lifespan than the pills would, and a healthier outcome also.

Kevin, I was diagnosed as an uncontrolled diabetic with a terrible A1C of 13.2 in 2006. My only choice was insulin because my body is extremely intolerant of carbs. Also, my fasting every a.m. was 250 and beyond. I would eat carbs and my BS would climb to 500 or over. Couldn't figure out why I was walking around in a constant state of fatigue.

I take two insulins to control my diabetes. Insulin is a natural hormone produced by your pancreas. Some of us may have had the beta cells that produce insulin destroyed or be extremely insulin resistant or both. So using exogenous insulin (injections) more or less mimics what your pancreas does.

Yesterday was my quarterly visit to my endo. Came away with an A1C of 5.7. I'm more active because of a new job. I do not need to use insulin when I eat at work because I'm always moving. My BS likes it when I move constantly.

Not a medical health professional, but I do not believe insulin use would shorten your lifespan. For me, it's been a lifesaver.

Insulin is not metablized through your liver or kidneys. As a matter of fact, any oral medication you take goes through your liver as well as any food and drink.

Can't tell from your post, but do your oral medications help you control your diabetes? Are you at your normal weight? Do you exercise? All these are important in maintaining normal blood glucose levels. You cannot just rely on medication.

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Report This| Share this:insulin drawbacksKevin, I was diagnosed as an uncontrolled diabetic with a terrible A1C of 13.2 in 2006. My only choice was insulin because my body is extremely intolerant of carbs. Also, my fasting every a.m. was 250 and beyond. I would eat carbs and my BS would climb to 500 or over. Couldn't figure out why I was walking around in a constant state of fatigue.

I take two insulins to control my diabetes. Insulin is a natural hormone produced by your pancreas. Some of us may have had the beta cells that produce insulin destroyed or be extremely insulin resistant or both. So using exogenous insulin (injections) more or less mimics what your pancreas does.

Yesterday was my quarterly visit to my endo. Came away with an A1C of 5.7. I'm more active because of a new job. I do not need to use insulin when I eat at work because I'm always moving. My BS likes it when I move constantly.

Not a medical health professional, but I do not believe insulin use would shorten your lifespan. For me, it's been a lifesaver.

Insulin is not metablized through your liver or kidneys. As a matter of fact, any oral medication you take goes through your liver as well as any food and drink.

Can't tell from your post, but do your oral medications help you control your diabetes? Are you at your normal weight? Do you exercise? All these are important in maintaining normal blood glucose levels. You cannot just rely on medication.

Anon_74671 responded:

as a type 1 diabetic, without taking insulin I'd be dead. seems like my lifespan will be much shorter by not taking it

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Report This| Share this:insulin drawbacksas a type 1 diabetic, without taking insulin I'd be dead. seems like my lifespan will be much shorter by not taking it

my meds help somewhat but icheat alot on my diet ( i know i know shame on me lol) my weight is about 225 lbs but with my new job i walk to work everyday so that will help. I'm just so sick of taking pills and my last A1C was at 7 and i can't seem to get it lower (even when i'm good and stick religiously to what i eat and drink). i was just wondering if i should talk to my doctor about going on insulin. Plus I just wanted some advice from people who take insulin how it works for them. thank you very much for your thoughts

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Report This| Share this:insulin drawbacksmy meds help somewhat but icheat alot on my diet ( i know i know shame on me lol) my weight is about 225 lbs but with my new job i walk to work everyday so that will help. I'm just so sick of taking pills and my last A1C was at 7 and i can't seem to get it lower (even when i'm good and stick religiously to what i eat and drink). i was just wondering if i should talk to my doctor about going on insulin. Plus I just wanted some advice from people who take insulin how it works for them. thank you very much for your thoughts

Thank you all for your replys. your advice and comments mean alot and now i'm not so nervous about asking my doctor about this. I'll be talking to you all later. Kevin

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Report This| Share this:insulin drawbacksThank you all for your replys. your advice and comments mean alot and now i'm not so nervous about asking my doctor about this. I'll be talking to you all later. Kevin

Kevin, I don't know if your weight is appropriate for your height and frame. Did your doctor say anything to you about losing weight? Weight is a touchy subject for anyone, diabetic or not. Losing weight helps tremendously in lowering your blood sugars along with exercise. This may help you get your A1C down.

Insulin is a lifesaver for most of us using it. It does not give you "permission" to eat as you want. You still have to watch your carbs diligently and exercise. If you don't do that while using insulin, weight creeps on. Insulin lowers your BS levels, but any excess glucose running around will get stored as fat in your body.

An A1C of 7 is not so bad--not as good as it could be, but not so bad. Being sick of taking pills is not an incentive to take insulin. There can be drawbacks to using insulin, the most bothersome and unhealthy is having your glucose go too low. This is the side effect of insulin I do not like and have to work hard at preventing those lows.

Most doctors will not prescribe insulin unless they think it is the only thing that will work in keeping you healthy. Keep that in mind when you speak with your doctor.

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Report This| Share this:insulin drawbacksKevin, I don't know if your weight is appropriate for your height and frame. Did your doctor say anything to you about losing weight? Weight is a touchy subject for anyone, diabetic or not. Losing weight helps tremendously in lowering your blood sugars along with exercise. This may help you get your A1C down.

Insulin is a lifesaver for most of us using it. It does not give you "permission" to eat as you want. You still have to watch your carbs diligently and exercise. If you don't do that while using insulin, weight creeps on. Insulin lowers your BS levels, but any excess glucose running around will get stored as fat in your body.

An A1C of 7 is not so bad--not as good as it could be, but not so bad. Being sick of taking pills is not an incentive to take insulin. There can be drawbacks to using insulin, the most bothersome and unhealthy is having your glucose go too low. This is the side effect of insulin I do not like and have to work hard at preventing those lows.

Most doctors will not prescribe insulin unless they think it is the only thing that will work in keeping you healthy. Keep that in mind when you speak with your doctor.

I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2002 and started out taking pills. However I couldn't eat a small enough amount of food to keep my sugars in check. At 5'5" tall, I got down to 106 lbs. I felt like skin and bones, so I talked to my doctor about going on insulin. What a God-send! My sugars are very good now -- A1C's between 5.8 and 6.2. I have had no side effects from insulin. I'm on an insulin pump with a sensor and am so thankful for these wonderful devices.

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Report This| Share this:insulin drawbacksI was diagnosed with diabetes in 2002 and started out taking pills. However I couldn't eat a small enough amount of food to keep my sugars in check. At 5'5" tall, I got down to 106 lbs. I felt like skin and bones, so I talked to my doctor about going on insulin. What a God-send! My sugars are very good now -- A1C's between 5.8 and 6.2. I have had no side effects from insulin. I'm on an insulin pump with a sensor and am so thankful for these wonderful devices.

insulin saved my life and has given me back much better health and well being!!!!! go on insulin! u will never regret it! my doc had me on glipizide, metformin, januvia, janumet...none worked. now im on novolog for mealtine insulin and lantus solostar for bedtime because im brittle type 2. needles by BD come in "nano" size, u dont even feel the pinprick! no fatigue, no thirst, no wieght gain, no nausea, i feel like ive been given a new pass on life. im 49, diagnosed 2006. Looooooove my doc for finally talking me into giving it a shot (pardon the pun!). i would NEVER give it up anymore! i was soooo anti-insulin because of stuff i had read and heard...nonsense......please, think of your health, future, loved ones.....good luck and God Bless!

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Report This| Share this:insulin drawbacksinsulin saved my life and has given me back much better health and well being!!!!! go on insulin! u will never regret it! my doc had me on glipizide, metformin, januvia, janumet...none worked. now im on novolog for mealtine insulin and lantus solostar for bedtime because im brittle type 2. needles by BD come in "nano" size, u dont even feel the pinprick! no fatigue, no thirst, no wieght gain, no nausea, i feel like ive been given a new pass on life. im 49, diagnosed 2006. Looooooove my doc for finally talking me into giving it a shot (pardon the pun!). i would NEVER give it up anymore! i was soooo anti-insulin because of stuff i had read and heard...nonsense......please, think of your health, future, loved ones.....good luck and God Bless!

Auriga, I read back in 03 when I was dx'd with diabetes, that insulin ought to be the number one choice over pills for managing one's diabetes, in addition to diet and exercise of course. I cant recall where any more, but there were numerous articles about it back then. Even the lady board doc we had back then recommended it. I cant remember her name at the moment, but I really liked her. And yes, some docs are still old school and want to try drugs over insulin. I had an old stick in the mud PA back then, which was why I was on pills that did not work and made me very sick.

Hooty

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Report This| Share this:insulin drawbacksAuriga, I read back in 03 when I was dx'd with diabetes, that insulin ought to be the number one choice over pills for managing one's diabetes, in addition to diet and exercise of course. I cant recall where any more, but there were numerous articles about it back then. Even the lady board doc we had back then recommended it. I cant remember her name at the moment, but I really liked her. And yes, some docs are still old school and want to try drugs over insulin. I had an old stick in the mud PA back then, which was why I was on pills that did not work and made me very sick.

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